We're Safe Now
by IhaveAlotOfFeelings
Summary: Peeta gets rescued with the other tributes from the capitol. Only Peeta isn't hijacked. Katniss realized the love she as for Peeta. They get to experience the romantic exciting part when they finally see each other. One shot of a missing moment in the mocking jay
1. Chapter 1

**Authors note: I wrote this story because as I read/watched the mocking jay, it broke my heart that Peeta and Katniss didn't get to experience that exciting romantic moment when they see each other after Peeta is rescued from the capitol. Please review, I am still new to the fan fiction writing and would like to hear what you think. Thank you so much. Enjoy.**

It must be midnight, it must be tomorrow when Haymitch pushes open the door. "They're back. We're wanted in the hospital." My mouth opens with a flood of questions that he cuts me off with "That's all I know."

I want to run, but Finnick's acting so strange, as if he has lost the ability to move, so I take his hand and lead him like a small child. Through special defense, into the lift that goes this way and that, and on to the hospital wing. The place is an uproar, with doctors shouting orders and the wounded being wheeled through the halls in their beds.

We're side swiped by a gurney bearing an unconscious emaciated woman young woman with a shaved head. Her flesh shows bruises and oozing scabs. Johanna Mason. Who actually knew rebel secrets. At least the one about me. And this is how she has paid for it.

Through the doorway I catch a glimpse of Gale. Stripped to the waist, perspiration streaming down his face as doctors remove something from under his shoulder blade with a long pair of tweezers. Wounded but alive it least. As I start walking towards him untill I hear a deep yell, well something between a yell and a cry. One I Immediately recognize. Peeta.

I barley recognize him, he has a incredibly fragile exterior, malnourished no doubt. His skin is disgustingly pale and bruised. with cuts and oozing scabs all over his body, just like Johanna. And suddenly, it's as if there's no one in world but Peeta and I.

I meet his eyes, his blue eyes. Damaged, clouded with with pain. But they still have a hopeful glint, that I always needed. I can't focus but I manage to run towards him. Peeta tries to come forward, ripping cords connected to him. His physical body is to fragile to run, he barley is able to stand up to get closer to me. He becomes crowed with nurses and doctors to his aid. "Get away" he yells just like he yelled at me on the victory tour in district 11. I reach him. "Go" I scream, sweeping them away. Haymitch catches up standing near us, motioning to the doctors and nurses to leave.

We collide, enfold and loose our balance and slam against a wall, where we stay. I worry that I have broken ribs or something as he lets out a yelp as we hit the wall. "It's okay Katniss" he whispers. "I'm here now." Clinging into one being invisible. I feel his cracked lips meet mine. This kiss is different to any other I have experienced with him. Its not a stir that leaves me craving more. But that it makes me feel safe and protected, relieved. Euphoria takes over my body, his arms gently cup my neck pulling me close, as I cling to the material of his hospital gown letting his mouth explore mine. I have to pull back to let out a breath I didn't realize was holding. We slide onto the floor where I am cradled into his body. "We're safe Katniss" he lets out as I feel tears drop onto my hair.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning I wake up with relief instead of panic, I know that's because of Peeta becoming safe. With no schedule imprinted (even though I still have to go for meals) the first thing I do is go to the hospital to see him. I rush up the dull metal stairs into the hospital wing were I already see my mother and Prim tending to another patient, Johanna I think. As I approach Peetas room I become overwhelmed at the sight of it. Attached to so many machines, he looks so fragile. In pain, but sleeping it least. I enter and sit beside him on an blue arm chair that matches the tiling on the floor. I lean my head on his arm, soft and warm like he always was, but the fear of waking or hurting him gives me too much anxiety so I sit up.

I don't know how long I had been sitting there until I feel a cold hand on my shoulder, I turn and look up.

"Hey catnip" Gale says bitterly. "You're wanted in command." He adds.

"I can't go" is all I can mumble.

"Fine." he says bluntly and stumbles off. He is angry with me but I can't place why. I look over to Peetas delicate face before it hits me.

Because I didn't see him after they had been rescued. I feel guilty, like I used him to get Peeta out or something. But it was volunteer only. _I never asked him to do it,_ I think trying to reason with myself.

After a while I feel Peeta stirring, his eyelids move a little before they flutter open. His body tenses and he looks in panic, he has fear riddling his face. "Peeta, it's me, you're in District 13 remember?" I say squeezing his hand. His body relaxes and he looks at me with a reassuring smile. "How are you feeling?" He asks.

Peeta, asking how _I'm_ feeling. "Shouldn't it be me asking you that?" I chuckle. Peeta stiffly moves over and motions me to come onto the bed. It feels like such a luxury, lying next to Peeta again. I didn't realize until now how starved i was for human closeness, for the feel of him beside me. It takes me a moment, but I summon up the courage to speak. "Peeta, I thought about the thousands of times I could've told you this when you were in the capitol." I say softly.

"Told me what?" he questions.

I prop myself up onto one elbow and take a deep breath and finally allow myself to be honest. "I love you." I blurt out. I look up to Peeta and his eyes look worn and tired, but in complete euphoria at the same time. He buries my head into his chest and he kisses my head. "I love you too Katniss." He holds me tightly, as if he scared to let go because we might never be able to get this moment back. "When will you get discharged from hospital?" I whisper. "As soon as I can Katniss." He adds softly.

When the lunch alarm chimes in calmly I realize I have to leave. "I wish I didn't have to go, but I skipped breakfast and I promised I would see Prim" I say softly forcing myself up. Peeta gives my hand a reassuring squeeze before I let go and head to the dining hall.

I walk along the boring grey corridor and somehow find myself walking next to Gale. I look up to see him scowling, feeling in an honest mood I pipe up. "What the hell gale?" I say.

"What?" he says bluntly.

"Why are you acting so mean?" I ask stopping and looking up at him.

"Because" he pauses looking at me. "I've done everything for you, I've known you, your whole life. and" he breaks off looking away. "you're throwing it all away." he adds almost yelling now.

"I never asked for this Gale. You can't blame me when I have no control over my feelings!" This time I am yelling. Luckily for both of us everyone has left us to yell at each other for lunch.

"Yes you do Katniss!" he shouts. "You're choosing a coward over me!"

"He is not a coward Gale, he has protected me from the beginning, and not only that he has protected you too! Peeta defended you at the whipping post!" I shout. It takes me strength not to slap him for been so selfish. "We have so many bigger things going on in Panem Gale. The rebellion, the war. While you're sulking about feelings we have to lead a rebellion." I say matter-of-factly

"You can't say that Katniss! You're doing the same thing!" he pauses looking into my eyes. "You say that we have bigger things going on, but you're the one spending entire days in hospital with Peeta!" He yells. At this point I know he is only saying these things to hurt me, and divert the argument from himself.

"You are just spitting these things out to hurt me Gale, and I'm not taking it." I say giving into the urge and slapping his face full of anger. With disbelief and rage encircling his entire face, he pushes me back. Not hard enough that it would hurt, but enough to scare me. I stand there with my mouth half open, to much is shock to say anything. Gale admits defeat and walks off cursing under his breath.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: All though I've never been fond of Gale I thought it was important to keep Katniss and him close. So I have sorted the story out. My plan was to keep Katniss and Gale as no longer allies but I felt it was a bad reflection on my Fanfic and my ability to cast aside my personal ships for the sake of the story that follows the characters and story line of the Mocking Jay. Please review and enjoy! :)**

 **DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN OR CLAIM ANY RIGHT TO THE HUNGER GAMES TRILOGY AL THOUGH I WISH I FUCKING DIE LMAO.**

When Gale walks away. I stand there stunned at his behavior. I was incredibly hurt and lashed out in the moment. But that was just the moment. Gales anger appeared it had simmered for some time. Confused and upset I go to confine in Haymitch. When I arrive to the cafeteria Gale is nowhere to be seen, Haymitch sits alone on a table on the far left. I try to pass people as quickly as possible and plant myself across from him. "Hello Girl on fire, how are you?"

"Relieved now that Peetas home," I say leaving my sentence unfinished.

"But what?" Haymitch asks suspiciously.

I shrug unsure how to word it. But Haymitch judges my expression and lets out a deep sigh. "Gale?" He questions. I nod trying to hold back the emotions that are bubbling up in my throat. I thought I was going to lose both of them, But when they both arrived back I thought I didn't. But now it seems like I've lost one after all.

"What happened to him?" I question, knowing that Haymitch probably has no ideas, Gale is the least of his worries at the moment.

"I'm not supposed to say anything, but when I went up to special defense to talk to Plutarch, I overheard him talk to one of the District 13 doctors. Gale has been diagnosed with IED, brought on-"

I cut him off, only taking in each word at a time. "IED?" I question.

"Intermittent explosive disorder." He says. "It means he basically has anger issues. It was triggered by the rescue. They saw some pretty messed up stuff in there Katniss; I'm surprised more haven't been affected."

"Oh." Is all I can make out.

"But he is going on medication and receiving therapy, so chin up, it'll be alright." He says staring back down at his food.

I push myself back up and go for a walk to try and understand the situation myself. I end up finding myself at the hospital. I go into Peeta's room. I'm relieved to see he has been taken off a couple of the machines. But the feeding tube that runs out of his nose and connects to a bag full of what I can only described as liquid food still worries me. "Hey." Peeta says softly. "Hi." Is all I can mumble out. I sit beside him in the same blue armchair as this morning. He looks at me for a moment, trying to figure out my expression. Then he finally says, "Are you okay?"

I take a minute to think about his question. I feel so many different things. I have so much more hope of making it through this rebellion now that Peeta is here safe. But my best friend has been diagnosed crazy. I can't help but wonder about Peeta, so I blurt out "Do you ever feel crazy?" _wow, subtle Katniss_ , I think to myself.

Peeta looks up at me. I thought he would be taken aback and surprised but he just simply says, "Yes." He pauses and sits himself up. He looks up at the medical equipment propped up around the room. "When I was rescued from the capitol. They said I had a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but I know it's been there for years, after the first games anyway. No one could come out of any of this normal." He says still looking out, avoiding my gaze. "Why do you ask?" He says returning back to me.

I stare at my feet. "Gale has something wrong this him," I say trying to brush it off. I look up to Peeta suspecting some sort of jealously but he doesn't show any.

"Yeah, Haymitch says they saw some of the tools, machines and other things they used on us. They saw blood, skin, and teeth. The works. It's too be expected Katniss." He says softly.

"But Gale has always been strong; I never saw this kind of thing bothering him." I say.

"You have to understand Katniss. District 12 was no easy upbringing. Everyone had it hard, especially the seam. Gale and you had to support your family; Gale has 3 mouths to feed. He would have had to push his feelings aside to provide for them. Then the bombing of District 12. It would have hurt him so deeply. Now that he has the stability of District 13 for his family, he has no choice but to face his demons. The rescue from the Capitol probably would've just triggered it." He says softly squeezing my hand reassuringly.

I find relief in that Peeta understands what it is like to be as crazy as you feel. I never really understood it before. Peeta stiffly moves over and motions me onto the bed. He opens his arms and I immediately fall into them. The sobs I swallowed back when talking to Haymitch finally reveal themselves, and I let out an ugly sob. Peeta rubs my back and says, "He'll be okay Katniss, he will be. If we can come out of this somewhat sane. He can too." Since my father died and I stopped trusting my Mother, no one else's arms have made me feel this safe. I close my eyes and let myself sink into his embrace

We stay there for a while, holding each other without saying a word. After a while I feel myself relaxed. Despite everything going on, I believe that Gale will be okay, so will Peeta, and so will I. I Felt stirs inside of me that evening on the beach during the quarter quell, I didn't want to face them. Afraid of the destruction it would cause, admitting myself the feelings that I craved. I knew deep down, but I knew I would die in those follow hours for Peeta, I couldn't let it distract me. But when I saw his fragile complexion when he returned from the capitol, I knew within myself that the emotions that riddled me couldn't be anything other than _love._ "Peeta?" I ask.

"Yeah?" he whispers stroking my hair.

"I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now, and live it forever." I say with a smile creeping itself into my expression.

Peeta smiles at me. "Those words remind me of a very fond memory." He says closing his eyes, picturing it, I think. I sit myself up and let my lips meet his.

I know we both dozed off because when I open my eyes Peeta has been delivered dinner, on a grey plastic tray. I look over and see Peeta's eyelids slowly flutter open. "No nightmares," he says.

"No nightmares." I confirm. "You?"

"None, I forgotten what it felt like." He says.

"Me too" I admit.

Peeta sits himself up and stretches out his arms. "Do you know what the time is? I have no idea how long we fell asleep for." He says running his hands roughly through his hair.

"Just after dinner I think." I say motioning to the tray that sits on the table beside the bed. "It's weird they didn't wake us for dinner." I add.

"Maybe they didn't want to disturb us. I don't know about you, but I can barley sleep anymore. I can't face that dreams that follow when I close my eyes." He says softly.

Peetas eyes are coated with a worries expression. "Wow liquid food and solid food, bet you didn't get spoilt like this in the capitol." I say in an attempt to make him laugh.

Peeta chuckles and replies, "No Miss Everdeen, only the best for Victors." He says in a capitol accent that makes us both laugh.

I think our laugh echoed down the hall because a Nurse leans her head through the door shortly after. "Katniss, Peeta, good to see you both well rested." She pauses smiling. "Katniss, Boggs wanted to me to tell you that you're needed in command. I told them you were asleep and they said to ask you to come up when you awoke on your own." She says leaning back out. I hear her shoes tap along the hall as she walks away.

"I'll be back." I say as I stand; adjusting my clothes and tucking my socks into my shoes. Before I leave. I do something I've never done before, and give Peeta a kiss before I leave. Suddenly every Kiss I've had with him seems so precious and I want more. More to store away in the back of my mind so if he ever gets taken away again, I can think back and savor them.

I walk up and knock of the door to Command. To my surprise, Gale answers and his expression is riddled with guilt. "Katniss. Hi, I've been looking for you. I wanted to apologize for what happened this morning." He says.

Unsure who could be listening or around I take him into an embrace and whisper, "It's okay Gale. I know about your IED. I understand." I say. And I do understand thanks to Peeta. Gale will always been my best friend. No amount of crazy can change that. When I pull from his hug I meet his eyes, no longer clouded with guilt but contentment instead. "Thank you" he whispers.

He steps to the right clearing me way to join, Boggs, Coin, Plutarch, Beetee, and Haymitch. I sit in a stiff black stair that has wheels underneath that lets me swirl around. It reminds me of chairs they have in the Capitol. "So what did you need me in command for?" I ask getting straight to the point.

Coin speaks up. "Well, Miss Everdeen. The Districts have all come together united, it's time to take the Rebellion to the capitol."


End file.
